The Plan Of Attack
by 4lter3go
Summary: When Dumbledore hears of an attack of Hogwarts he decides to split the trio up and pair them with a professor. But who pulled the short straw and got Snape as their guardian? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"No, Dumbledore, I refuse to do it. I will not be a part of your scheme." Snape growled at the wizened, old wizard who just looked calmly back at him.

"They are in _mortal_ danger." Dumbledore told him with a little more urgency than normal.

"When aren't they in mortal danger? He's Harry Potter for merlin's sake, who thought he wouldn't ever be in mortal danger? And for Granger and Weasley, well, perhaps they should choose their friends more carefully." Snape snapped and paced towards the window that looked out over the great lake. The sun was setting behind the mountains, casting an eerie light out onto the school grounds. Snape could see Dumbledore shaking his head in the reflection in the window.

"You think that I want to be stood on the sidelines? Protecting a snivelling sixteen year old." Severus snapped.

"Please Severus." Dumbledore begged, ignoring his last comment.

"No, for the last time, no." Severus snapped, he glanced back at Dumbledore once again and made his way towards the doorway that would lead him out of Dumbledore's cluttered office.

"Please."

"No!" Severus shouted and swung the door open, but before Severus could leave he heard Dumbledore whisper something to him.

"If not for them, then do it for Lily. Protect her son and the closest thing he has to family."

With his back still turned to Dumbledore, Severus closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Fine." And with that he swept out of the room with a flourish of black robes.

**OOOOO**

"What do you think Dumbledore wants _all_ of us for?" Ron asked as he, Harry and Hermione made their way to Dumbledore's office. Ron was pleased for once to be part of the 'action'- as he called it- usually it was just Harry.

"I don't know. I'm just glad we got out of potions." Harry said thankfully.

The three had been cornered by Professor Snape as they walked into his lesson and told that they wouldn't be having potions today as they had important business to discuss with Dumbledore. When Hermione had asked what kind of business he was referring to, he just gave her an icy glare and asked her why she always had to know everything.

"Ohhh...But I like potions." Hermione moaned, her curly hair whipping ferociously around her shoulders as they walked down a windy corridor. Harry and Ron stared at her, mouths open.

"Oh yeah, I can really see why you like potions. After all, we do have a lovely, kind and funny teacher don't we? And it's not as if we are made to brew impossible potions that not even you can comprehend." Harry muttered sarcastically. Hermione glared back at him and Ron sniggered.

"Bet ol' Snape-y hated letting us miss his lesson." Ron grinned. Harry nodded in agreement, but couldn't reply as they neared Dumbledore's office, Professor McGonnagoll was waiting outside for them.

"Hello you three. Where have you been, we've been waiting all morning for you?" McGonnagoll fussed. She smiled at Hermione and then glanced over at Ron and Harry who were looking a little dishevelled. McGonagoll tutted whilst trying to tidy the boys robes a little.

"Honesty, you two. You're going to see the headmaster for merlin's sake, try to make yourself look presentable." McGonagoll muttered.

"Why? Dumbledore's seen us in our pjamas." Ron said defiantly. McGonagoll just glared at him and shot a sniggering Harry a glare that could have challenged even one of Snape's glares. McGonagoll straightened Harry's tie and pulled Ron's up to the top, so far up in fact, that Ron was sure she was trying to strangle him. Finally, after a lot of fiff-faffing around, they walked into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was sat behind his large and cluttered desk in a wingback chair. Dumbledore beckoned for the three to sit on the wooden and slightly uncomfortable looking stools on the opposite side of the desk. They took a seat and McGonagoll walked around the desk and stood at Dumbledore's right side.

"I have called you here today to tell you some unfortunate news." Dumbledore told them solemnly. Hermione looked worriedly from Harry to Dumbledore, and then to McGonagoll who just smiled sadly back.

"What? What's the matter?" Ron asked. It seemed that Harry was the only one who didn't react badly to Dumbledore's warning, but then again, Hermione supposed, Harry was used to all this doom and gloom after he found out that his own family had been lying to him about the death of his parents.

"It seems that Voldemort is planning to attack Hogwarts."

"Well, we already knew that it was coming. One day or another." Harry said.

"When?" Hermione asked, scowling at Harry. Just because he was prepared for Voldemort's attack, it didn't mean Hermione and the rest of the school were.

"Our source says within the week." Dumbledore said, looking straight at Harry.

"This week...?" Hermione whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. Ron sat in silence with a stupid look on his face.

"Your source? Who is your source?" Harry asked, he was being nosy rather than worrying about the schools impending doom, which he had to save them all from.

"My source was..." Dumbledore began, but was cut off as at that moment Severus Snape swept into Dumbledore's office, followed by Sybill Trelawny. Harry stared at the new arrivals.

"Sorry we are late sir, I had to deal with two Gryffindors after potions." Severus said as he shot the trio another icy glare. Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, who sniggered.

"Yes sorry, but I did tell you that we would be late. I predicted it didn't I Dumbledore?" Dumbledore nodded at her, but the rest of the room ignored the crazy old woman.

"Now we are all here, I would like to share with you my plan for Tom's attack." Dumbledore's said. "You three, i'm sad to say, will be separated. It is the only option, because Voldemort knows you three like to stick together and if there is anyway to protect you all, then it would be to split you up."

"Surely we would be stronger together." Hermione said, and Snape nodded in agreement.

"Yes you would be, but this is the only way to protect you."

"So we are going to be alone, in three different places?" Ron asked.

"No you will be looked after by either Professors McGonagoll, Trelawney or Snape here." Dumbledore said, and smiled at each professor as he said their names. McGonagoll and Trelawney smiled back, but Snape's usually sneering face didn't change.

"Where will we be?" Hermione asked.

"I can't tell you that, just in case it gets out somehow." Dumbledore said, but Hermione didn't miss the way his eyes shifted slightly towards Snape. Hermione always suspected that Snape worked for the Voldemort but now Dumbledore had found out. Maybe Dumbledore was setting a trap, expecting Snape to return to Voldemort to tell him of the plan. Hermione was pulled out of her day dream...

"Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, she looked up and realised that the whole room was staring at her.

"Sorry, I was thinking about...my homework." Hermione answered. McGonagoll smiled warmly at her, Snape sneered, and the boys rolled their eyes in a way to say 'good old Hermione'.

"As I was saying, you will be staying in three safe houses across the country. But we need to inform your families. They will need to be hidden, otherwise they will suffer a horrendous death at the hand's of the death eaters."

Hermione gulped and Ron looked really worried, but Harry looked calm.

"Hermione your family will be sent away to another country, Ron your family will be coming to Hogwarts and as for your family Harry..."

"I don't have any family, Professor Dumbledore." Harry said.

"Your Aunt and Uncle will be sent away also." Dumbledore finished. Harry shrugged his shoulders, as if he didn't care about the only real family he had left.

Silence descended upon the room, the news that the school would be attacked within the week had shocked the trio and now they were being sent away...

"You mean to send us away so that we aren't going to be able to fight?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"Yes, you three need to be kept out of danger." Dumbledore said. Hermione shot off her chair, causing it to topple over behind her.

"Not fight? You want us to stand at the sidelines and watch the rest of the school get slaughtered?" Hermione by now was shouting.

"I completely agree with Miss Granger." Hermione turned around suddenly and came face to face with Snape. She was surprised that for once he was agreeing with her.

"It would be the safest option." Dumbledore stressed to the mutinous pair.

"How?" Both Snape and Hermione asked at the same time.

"Harry needs to be protected until the right time comes for him to kill Tom." Dumbledore told them.

"Well, if Harry needs to be kept safe, why can't _we_ fight alongside the rest of the order." Hermione questioned.

"Because if you and Ron -and even you Severus- die or are injured then Harry will be preoccupied with that rather than focusing on learning what he needs to know to defeat Tom." McGonagoll butted in, a worried look on her usually stern features. Hermione nodded but Severus still looked a little angry, but then again, when didn't he?

"Good, it's settled then, we will meet in my office tomorrow evening. After dinner, you will use a port key to travel to your designated safe house. Good afternoon, you three. I think you just have enough time to catch the end of lunch." Dumbledore said, dismissing the trio.

**Thank you for reading my new story, I got a bit bored with the other story so i've decided to start on a new one. Hope you like it xx please review xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"Hddkjd...skdjdfjjf...kopkfir?" Ron asked with a mouth full of pumpkin pie. Hermione scowled at him.

"Can you please empty your mouth before you communicate with us?" Hermione snapped. Ron grinned, opened his mouth and the chewed up piece of pie fell out of his mouth and onto the plate.

"I _can not_ believe you just did that." Hermione said with a disgusted look on her face.

"That was gross Ron, grosser than your usual." Harry admitted.

"I said, How do you think they are going to choose who we are going to be staying with?" Ron asked, making sure he said pronounced each syllable properly just to please Hermione.

"I don't know. Maybe Dumbledore will draw straws or put our names in a hat?" Harry said sarcastically. Ron looked thoughtful.

"Yeah... That's what i'd do if I was Dumbledore." Ron said.

"Well thank the lord that you aren't Dumbledore, they'll probably tactically put us together. For example, I will be with McGonagall because we get on well and we are both female..."

"Pfft, _you_ female?" Ron snorted, once again flashing Harry and Hermione a view of his mashed up pie. Hermione ignored Ron's comment and carried on.

"Obviously, if Harry and Snape are left together then one of them will be dead by the end of the week and so Harry will be with Trelawney and you, Ronald dearest, will be left with old Snape-y." Hermione laughed. Ron's smile fell from his face.

"Good day, have fun in Divination Harry." Hermione said as she stood up and left the table, but not before she turned around and winked at them both.

Hermione was still laughing to herself as she left the Great Hall, maybe a week with McGonagall wouldn't be so bad, maybe she could ask McGonagall to teach her some new spells or even...

Hermione walked smack bang into someone's hard chest and fell on top of them. She put her hands on the person's quiet muscular chest, she must admit, and pushed herself up until she was sat on the person's stomach.

"Miss Granger, if you would please remove yourself from my person." Severus Snape growled deeply.

"I'm so sorry sir, so sorry." Hermione gabbled as she stood up, but her foot got wound up in Snape's cape, which caused her to stumble over again and land on her bum. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched as Snape stood up and tried to re-arrange his robes.

"Perhaps you should watch where you are going next time." Snape growled again.

"I am so sorry." Hermione apologised as she stood up.

Snape just growled, spun around and stalked off, leaving Hermione to stare after him.

Hermione collected herself and walked back towards the Gryffindor tower. What a rude man, she thought, it wasn't _just_ her fault. He wasn't watching where he was going either.

Hermione watched Snape walk away until all she could see was a flourish of black robe as he disappeared around the corner. Hermione remembered how muscular his chest was under her hands, she wondered what else he was hiding under those robes. Suddenly she realised that she was daydreaming about what was under Snape's robes. Seriously Hermione, she told herself, _Professor Snape_. What had gotten into her?

"Are you feeling ill Miss Granger? You look a little white." McGonagall asked tapping Hermione on the shoulder. Hermione spun around to face her favourite professor.

"Of course, fine, yep, all good." Hermione told her a little breathlessly. "Gotta go Professor, i'll be late to Ancient Runes otherwise. Bye." Hermione said and walked away from McGonagall around the corner and towards the Gryffindor tower. Hermione, even before she found out she was a witch, was always worried about people being able to read her mind. Before she came to Hogwarts she thought she was being ridiculous but since her first year she had seen werewolves, screaming plants and flying cars, anything was possible in the wizarding world. If McGonagall had been able to see what she was thinking about Snape then it wouldn't have been good. Not that Hermione thought McGonagall was legilimens, but you could never be too safe.

Oh Merlin, something just struck Hermione. Snape was one of the greatest legilimens of the 21st century. Oh great, that's all Hermione needed was for Snape to find out that she was wondering about what was underneath his robes. She would have to keep her thoughts in check from now on. Hell, she shouldn't even be thinking about Snape naked. Shut up, shut up Hermione, she told herself. She tried to turn her attention to the upcoming test she had in Ancient Runes.

**OOOOO**

After Ancient Runes Hermione caught Ron and Harry in the Gryffindor common room pouring over the marauder's map.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she dumped her homework on the large round table.

"Sssh. We are watching Snape and Neville in detention. Snape keeps circling around him like he's about to kill him." Ron said.

"How can you see all that from a load of footsteps and a couple floating name tags?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron turned to stare at Hermione.

"For a clever person, you have no imagination." Harry said bluntly.

"Fine. I'm going to my room to pack." Hermione told them as she made her way towards the spiral staircase.

"Pack? Pack for what?" Ron asked.

"I don't know if you can remember but you're going away to stay with Snape and unless you want to be walking around the safe house naked then I suggest you pack some spare clothes." Hermione said primly and carried on walking towards her private dormitory; one of the many advantages of being a senior prefect.

Hermione showered, changed and after she had packed and shrunken her trunk she carried it downstairs to find Harry and Ron still laughing over the marauder's map.

"Are you two still not ready to go because you know we have exactly seven minutes until dinner starts." Hermione said as she plonked down in the armchair next to the fire.

"Seven minutes, why didn't you tell us earlier that we had to get ready?" Ron said.

"I did you idiot!" Hermione shouted.

"'Mione?" Ron asked in a voice that he thought was cute, but Hermione thought it made him sound creepy.

"Yes Ronald?"

"Can you help me pack?" Ron asked in the same tone of voice.

"No, are you not capable of doing anything yourself?" Hermione asked in an exasperated voice.

"Please Hermione." Ron pleaded again.

"Fine as long as you stop using that weird voice." Hermione laughed.

"Weird voice? That's my cute voice." Ron protested. Harry laughed and walked up the spiral staircase, Ron and Hermione followed him into the boys dormitory.

The boys lugged out their smallest trunks and threw most of their clothes and belongings into them. Hermione sighed and started to go through them and fold the clothes.

The trio walked into the Great Hall ten minutes late and sat down next to Fred and George.

"We hear your leaving for the week." Fred said as he scoffed down a roast potato.

"Where did you hear that?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"Mum." The twins replied at the same time.

"Ron got stuck with Snape." Harry laughed. Was Hermione the only one that was worried their plan would somehow get out and that the Death Eaters would find them?

"We don't know that yet." Ron grumbled.

"I suppose it's better than Trelawney though Harry. I bet before you even get up for breakfast she will have already predicted your impending doom three times." Fred chortled.

By the end of the meal even Hermione had loosened up and she starting to forget that the school would be attacked within the week. She wondered if the other students knew about it. The trio walked back up to the Gryffindor tower with Fred and George, collected their trunks and then made their way down to Dumbledore's office, but not before they had said goodbye to Fred and George. On the way out of the portrait hole Fred grabbed Hermione by the hand and pushed a brown paper bag labelled Weasley Wizard Wheezes.

"What's this?" Hermione asked.

"Give them to Ron for us." Fred said. "Tell him to give them to Snape if he gives him any trouble." Hermione laughed and tucked the bag inside her coat pocket.

Hermione caught up with Ron and Harry in Dumbledore's office where McGonagall was waiting for Dumbledore and the other Professors to arrive.

"What did he want?" Ron hissed at Hermione. McGonagall frowned at Ron.

"I'll tell you later." Hermione whispered back when she knew no one was listening.

"Ahhh...how lovely to see you here." Dumbledore said as he walked in followed by Snape and a bedraggled looking Trelawney. "We're sorry for keeping you waiting, some 4th year attacked Professor Trelawney with a water...bob."

"You mean a water _bomb_?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, yes that's it." Dumbledore said nodding. "Anyway, we must hurry we have exactly eight minutes before the portkeys leave." Dumbledore delved into his desk drawer and pulled out three pieces of crockery, a chipped saucer, half a tea cup and another floral tea cup.

"Miss Granger, if you take the saucer and then here you go boys." Dumbledore handed the floral teacup to Ron and then the half teacup to Harry. "All got a portkey?" Dumbledore nodded to himself.

"Now Miss Granger and Severus you will be going to..." Dumbledore began but was cut off by Severus and Hermione's protests.

"What? You are joking right? I am not spending a week with Snape." Hermione shouted.

"As flattered as I am with your comment Miss Granger, I to do not want to spend a week with her." Snape growled.

"I'm sorry you two but this is the most logical pairing." Dumbledore said.

"No, you never told me I would be protecting her." Severus spat.

"I don't even need protecting. I'll go alone, or better still i'll stay here." Hermione protested.

"No you will both be going, together and that is final." Dumbledore said angrily. Hermione was a little scared, she had never heard Dumbledore sound so angry. "As I was saying you and Severus will be going to the Scottish border, Harry and Minerva will be going to Devon and Ron and Sybill will be going to Kent." Ron whimpered when Dumbledore told him that he'd be with Trelawney. She just smiled as she interrupted the noise as a happy one.

"Are you ready, all packed and ready to go." Dumbledore said checking everyone's luggage and coats. "Good you've got thirty seconds."

"What did Fred want?" Ron hissed again.

"It doesn't matter." Hermione said as she shoved her hand her pocket and scrunched the brown paper bag. They were meant for Snape and that's who they would be given to. Hermione just hoped that there was a Fainting Fancy in the bag. Perhaps one that would malfunction and cause him to remain unconscious for the whole week.

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. Thank you to Icelynne, Applejax and Thousandsunny. The Iradessa- I will include the reason in the next chapter. Please review xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"This is just great." Hermione muttered to herself as she dusted off her robes after using the portkey. Luckily, this time, Hermione had landed on her feet, rather unlike the last time when she had landed flat on her face in a pile of mud.

"Stop muttering to yourself, we need to get going, we have a long walk from here." Snape snapped as he himself brushed off his robes, picked up his shrunken trunk and began striding across the field in which they had landed. Hermione followed him with her small trunk in tow.

"Where are we? I think I might have been here before." Hermione said as she struggled to keep up with Snape's long strides. Even though it was almost completely dark, Hermione thought she recognised the trees and the path that they were following.

"Keep quiet girl, with your big mouth we will be found within a matter of minutes." Snape hissed and walked faster. Hermione scowled at the surly man and dropped back so that she didn't have to walk next to him.

After what seemed like a day worth of walking for Hermione, but was really only a couple of hours, Snape stopped.

"We are nearly there, I need you to stay here whilst I check that it is safe." Snape whispered.

"So you're going to leave me here, alone, in the dark?" Hermione asked acting like the damsel in distress, she thought that if she was going to be stuck with him all week then she might as well have some fun winding him up. Snape just scowled back, threw his trunk on the ground and stalked off towards a building that Hermione could make out just between the trees.

"Miss Granger. All clear. Can you bring me my trunk?" Snape called through the trees.

"What did your last slave die of?" Hermione called back, as she picked up her and Snape's trunk and her own.

"Insubordination." Snape growled. Hermione walked through the trees and found herself in a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a small cottage, something which Hermione would usually find quaint and cosy but now she was faced with spending a whole week squashed into a tiny cottage with none other than Severus Snape.

"Well come on then girl, unless you would rather sleep outside?" Snape growled from the doorway. Hermione scurried through the door and threw Snape's trunk at him on the way through. Hermione was met by a small but cosy sitting room with a roaring fire, off of the sitting room there was a small kitchen and a spiral staircase leading upstairs.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked.

"In England, near the border of Scotland." Snape said and went up the stairs, Hermione followed.

"There's only one bedroom?" Hermione spluttered as she stared at the tiny upstairs bedroom. In which there were two separate beds -thank merlin- and a small chest of drawers next to a door which Hermione assumed led to the bathroom.

"It appears so." Snape growled. "I'll sleep on the couch." Snape whipped down the stairs and called goodnight up the stairs before switching all the lights out.

"Oi! I'm not tired. It's only nine o'clock." Hermione protested as she felt around in the pitch black for her wand.

"Go to sleep." Snape growled up the stairs.

Sleep? How could Hermione sleep when she was so worried about the attack upon Hogwarts? Once Hermione had found her wand she used _lumos _and unpacked her trunk. Hermione used up the top two drawers and left the bottom two for Snape. She was half tempted to just throw her clothes across the room just to annoy Snape.

Finally Hermione went off to sleep about one am but after a restless night, around five am, Hermione decided to venture into the kitchen to find a cup of tea or coffee. Hermione crept down the stairs, cringing when one of the old stairs creaked. In the kitchen she put a kettle on the hob to boil and grabbed a cup, a tea bag and a spoon of sugar. Then she thought again and grabbed another cup for Snape. She wondered if he took sugar in his tea, she decided to put three spoons of sugar in the cup. Perhaps it would sweeten him up a little. Hermione laughed at her vision of a sweet Snape.

Hermione crept back through the living room and placed Snape's cup of tea on the coffee table in front of the couch he was asleep on. Hermione turned around and looked at Snape. He had a thin blanket, but it wasn't covering much. Hermione could see he was wearing a pair of black trousers but he had nothing on his top half. Hermione could see Snape's chiselled chest that she had landed upon just yesterday. He seemed nice when he was asleep, perhaps even handsome.

"Miss Granger what are you doing?" Snape asked, with his eyes still closed.

"Um, I..ur..made you tea." Hermione gabbled, oh merlin, she had been thinking about Snape in an inappropriate way again. Snape sprang up from the couch. Hermione eye line was in line with Snape's rather muscular chest and Hermione had trouble tearing her eyes away from it.

"Thank you Miss Granger. Now if you, don't mind to stop staring at my chest I will make us some breakfast." Snape smirked as he picked up his shirt from the floor and wrapped it around himself.

Hermione nodded, but didn't open her mouth just in case she said something stupid. Hermione slumped down onto the sofa where Snape had been asleep and pulled the blanket around her.

"What _are_ you thinking?" Hermione asked herself. "Next you'll be finding Dumbledore attractive." Hermione cringed.

"What was that Miss Granger?" Snape called from the kitchen.

"Um...I was just said that i'd like another cup of tea." Hermione spluttered as she downed her tea, burning the back of her throat at the same time.

"I would like another one as well, come and make them then." Snape called back.

"No, you're in the kitchen, you make them." Hermione shouted. Snape just poked his head around the arch and raised an eyebrow in a way as if to say 'no, you make them'.

"Fine." Hermione said, exasperated and strode into the small kitchen. Obviously both Hermione and Snape had misjudged the size of the kitchen, and they were very tightly packed in. Snape leant across the counter to reach for the mushrooms he had retrieved from the cupboard but ended up spilling boiling water on his arm.

"Blasted girl, this is your fault."

"My fault? How is it my fault?"

"You were making the tea, why didn't you tell me the cup was there?" Snape growled as he pulled his arm into his chest.

"Do you not have eyes?" Hermione snapped back as she strode out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"Where are you going? Don't run away just because i've told you off." Snape growled. Hermione turned back and glared at Snape on her way up the stairs. Hermione made her way towards the chest of drawers and pulled out her first aid kit. She retrieved the burn salve she had brought with her and carried it downstairs.

"I am no coward, I do not run away." Hermione growled as she threw Snape the vial of salve.

"Oh yes, I must have forgotten that Gryffindor bravery." Snape smirked. He sat down on the couch next to where Hermione had sat.

"Where are my parents?" Hermione asked quietly. She had remembered once how when she had burnt herself her mother had found the burn salve in Hermione's room and was in wonder at how quickly Hermione's burn had cleared up, which made her wonder where her parents were right now.

"I'm not certain, but I believe they went to stay with some relatives you have in France." Snape told her as he massaged the salve into the bright red blotch.

"Auntie Mary and Uncle Ian, they're my only relatives who live in France." Hermione told him.

"Yes, your mother's sister. Am I right?" Snape asked, as he watched the mark turn into a pinky blotch.

"Yes. How did you know?" Hermione asked.

"I read your mind." Snape said and winked. Hermione looked alarmed and Snape smirked.

"I was trying to make a joke. But by the way your face changed, maybe I should check to see what things you have been thinking. I don't want to fall asleep and never wake up again." Snape said sarcastically.

"A joke?" Hermione asked, still worried that he had read her mind, it wasn't her murderous thoughts of him that she was worried about, more her visions of naked Snape.

"Yes, I have been told that I am quite funny." Snape smirked.

"What did you have to do to the person to make them tell you that? Torture them?" Hermione said sarcastically, but Snape's face darkened.

"The mushrooms are burning." Snape said as he stood up.

What had she said to offend him so? Hermione wondered whether he was too proud to be made fun of. This was going to be a boring week if she couldn't even make fun of him to his face.

Snape walked into the lounge with two plates of mushrooms on toast. He handed Hermione hers and sat on the floor near the fire.

"I think we need another couch." Hermione said as she stuffed her mouth with the delicious mushrooms.

"Yes, in fact we need a whole other house. I don't know how Dumbledore expected us to live in this tiny house for a week." Snape said.

"Mmm...these are lovely Professor. You're a good cook." Hermione told him.

"You sound surprised, Miss Granger. I am a potions Professor, it's all about timing and the right ingredients. Just like cooking really." Snape said matter-of-factly. Hermione nodded and continued to eat her breakfast.

**Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year everyone. I hope you like this new chapter, not much happened but I think that there are going to be a few filler chapters coming up. Have a lovely New Years Day xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

For Hermione the next three passed fairly slowly. Both of them were early risers and they each took it in turns to cook breakfast and dinner but Hermione had to admit that Snape was the better cook, not that she'd ever tell him that. Hermione was still curious as to how the food they needed arrived in the magically powered fridge each day. When she had asked Snape he had sarcastically said 'as if by magic'. Snape slept downstairs on the couch and Hermione slept upstairs, Hermione felt sorry for Snape who had to sleep on the very lumpy, old couch but whenever Snape mocked her she didn't feel quite so quilty. Over the three days Hermione and Snape got on relatively well as they had mostly avoided each other company.

They entertained themselves by reading as both herself and Snape had brought enough books to last a lifetime, but for some reason the current book she was reading couldn't seem to engage her. Nor did the other books that she had brought with her. Perhaps Snape's books were a little more interesting? Hermione made her way downstairs to the living room and plonked down onto the couch, worried about asking Snape for one of his precious books.

"Professor?" Hermione squeaked from the couch. Snape looked up from the floor, where he had settled himself into a pile of blankets.

"Yes Miss Granger." Snape said cautiously, she sounded as if she wanted something.

"Please may I borrow one of your books."

"Why? You have left at least five on the table in front of you and I saw some others upstairs when I packed away my trunk."

"But I have read them all before and they just aren't catching my attention." Snape narrowed his eyes at her.

"No." Snape said firmly and went back to his book.

"Please Sir." Hermione persisted. "How about if we swap a book? How about if you read my book and i'll read yours."

"I have no patience for whatever romantic dribble you are reading." Snape snapped without looking up from his page.

"I most certainly am not reading romantic dribble, personally I cant stand the endings." Hermione hissed back. Snape looked up now.

"How so?" Snape asked, he seemed amused by Hermione annoyed tone.

"Well the books are never true to life." Hermione started.

"It's a fiction book Miss Granger, what more do you expect?"

"If you would let me finish, the good characters usually end up in a good situation and the bad characters end up in bad situations. That never happens in real life. And usually the bad characters come from a bad background and rarely ever in real life do bad characters come from bad backgrounds. It's usually the choices they make that turn them bad." Hermione concluded.

"That isn't true." Snape said. "Good people do end up in good situations and bad end in bad situations."

"No. Take Harry for example. He is a good person..." Snape guffawed at this point. Hermione scowled at him and carried on. "Harry's a good person yet he comes from a bad background and he, at the moment is in a bad situation. So if we lived in a fiction book then he would be a bad character."

"Fine. How about myself? Do you class me as a good or a bad character?" Snape asked, smirking.

"Oh, definitely a bad character. Everyone knows it." Hermione smirked at him, but Snape seemed a little taken aback.

Perhaps everyone knew Severus Snape as the bat of the dungeons, who was hell-bent on torturing any student for his own twisted pleasure, but couldn't some people, like people he wanted to make friends with, see that was a mask that Snape inadvertently created over the years to protect himself. Not even Hermione who, in the last few days, Snape had begun to feel like he could be who he really was. Not some sick ex-death eater who hated the world and everyone in it. No really deep down, actually deep deep deep down, in just those few days he had spent with Hermione, not even talking but just in each others company, he realised that he had created a front that no-one would want to break through to see the real Severus. He realised that the thing he craved the most was friendship. But not the kind of friendship he and Dumbledore had, if you could even call that a friendship, more like a master and servant situation. Hermione was intelligent and she much the same opinion of everyday things as Snape had, she didn't act like most of her peers at Hogwarts did and Snape was only glad that it had been Hermione he had been asked to protect and not some snivelling girl or cocky boy that usually attended Hogwarts. Snape hadn't realised Hermione was still yabbering on about her opinion on him.

"...and most of all you didn't come from a bad background. I expect your family were loving and kind..." Hermione carried on.

"Stop." Snape hissed. What Hermione had just said sunk in. "How dare you assume you know what kind of background I come from." Snape stood up suddenly.

"Snape I didn't mean anything by it, it was only a theory." Hermione stood up, but Snape didn't seem to hear what she had just said.

"How dare you?" Severus muttered again as he walked towards the front door.

"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered.

"You know nothing about me. Your snivelling little friend Potter tell you about my life before Hogwarts did he? So that you could antagonise me and then return to tell your pathetic friends about it and laugh behind my back." Severus hissed, he was angrier than Hermione had ever seen him. Severus pushed past her, grabbed his robes from the coat rack and opened the door.

"Snape, I'm sorry." Hermione said again before Snape slammed the door in her face.

Overreaction much? Hermione thought. What did she say to make him so angry? Sure everyone thought he was a bad person and an ex-death eater but he knew everyone thought that and he didn't exactly help his case by acting like a stuck up bastard. But it was only theory and she didn't mean it seriously.

Hermione figured that Snape would come back in ten minutes after he had cooled down a little so she went back to the book she was reading. After half an hour Hermione got a little worried about Snape as he hadn't returned. She decided that, if in ten minutes he hadn't come back then she would go and look for him.

But there was no need to go and find him as at that moment he burst through the door with a stream of blood trailing from a gash on his forehead and a quickly forming bruise-like mark on the side of his chin.

"What happened?" Hermione asked as she rushed towards him.

"Quick girl, get your things." Snape said as he began to shove his belongings into his cloak pocket. Hermione just stood there watching him.

"Why?" Hermione asked, worried.

"Just do it." Snape shouted. Hermione got into action and sprinted up the stairs two at a time, which was very difficult seeing as the stairs were spiral. She pulled out her trunk and used her wand and her hands to pack as much stuff in her trunk as possible, she began scooping her belongings out of the drawers, and dropping it into her trunk.

"Move Granger." Snape snapped as he got his own trunk packed, with one quick and simple spell Snape had packed everything away neatly and in an organised way. Hermione scowled, why hadn't she ever heard of that spell. But Hermione's scowl quickly fell off her face as she heard an almighty crash as someone blasted the door off it's hinges.

"Come on, grab this." Snape shouted as he shoved a snapped pencil in Hermione's face and within a second they had disappeared, but not before Fenrir Grayback could grab hold of her left arm that was holding her trunk.

All three of them collapsed on the outskirts of Hogwarts. Grayback shot up off the floor and dived for Hermione but Snape quickly grabbed his leg before he could reach her.

"Leave her be, Grayback." Snape hissed, whipping his wand out his robes and pointing it at Grayback.

"You know what our Lord wants." Grayback growled as he jolted his head towards Hermione. "Come on, hand her over. He will forgive you for what you did if you could provide him with her." Snape looked towards Hermione and for a split second Snape looked as if he was contemplating letting Voldemort have her. Hermione decided to take action. She searched her pockets for her wand but realised that she had stupidly packed it away in her trunk which lay on the floor near Snape. So, from the floor where she was sprawled out she grabbed the biggest rock she could find and stood up. Snape realised what she was doing and moved around Greyback so that Greyback was facing him and wasn't able to see what Hermione was about to do.

"You know I can't do that. Dumbledore has asked me to protect her, does our Lord want me to reveal my true intentions to them so soon?" Snape asked. Hermione was confused about what he was asking Greyback, was Snape still a death eater?

"Dumbledore?" Greyback laughed. "This has nothing to do with old Albus. You my cold and emotionless friend have grown to care for the Granger girl." Hermione's eyes widened as she slammed the rock down on Greyback's head. Greyback swayed to the left and just for good measure Hermione brought the stone down on his head again.

"What did he mean that Voldemort..." Snape flinched, "...sorry, you-know-who would forgive you if you handed me over?" Hermione asked looking at him intensely.

"Nothing." Snape snapped as he inspected Graybacks gash. "He's still alive." Snape pulled out his wand but Hermione lurched forward and grabbed his arm.

"Don't kill him." Hermione whispered, even though she knew Grayback deserved it she couldn't let another human being die no matter how terrible they were. Snape looked back at her, stunned.

"Why? You know he wouldn't think twice if he could kill you." Snape hissed.

"So, does that mean we should lower ourselves to his level? Have you ever heard the saying an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Don't do it." Hermione said and she removed the wand from his hand, as she took it away she squeezed his hand ever so slightly. Snape looked at her in surprise, his mouth hanging open.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch a fly otherwise." Hermione told him with a smirk. She used Snape's wand to do a full body bind and floated him up like Lupin did to Snape when they floated him back from the Shrieking Shack after they discovered Scabbers wasn't your everyday rat. Hermione handed Snape back his wand.

"Come on let's get back to the castle before any more death eaters find us." Hermione said as she picked up her trunk and found her own wand. Snape opened the gates and let Greyback float along in front of himself and Hermione. Snape shut and charmed the gates closed.

They walked in silence for a moment until they passed the whomping willow.

"I have killed people, Hermione." Snape said suddenly. "If you hadn't stopped me I would have killed Grayback without even blinking."

"I know, and I'm sure he deserves to die but..." Hermione said but was disrupted by a gang of Hufflepuffs chattering as they rounded the corner into the castle.

"This way..." Snape said as he grabbed Hermione and pulled her around to a smaller side entrance that Hermione had never noticed before.

"You called me Hermione." Hermione said suddenly as the walked through the small door which lead into a large corridor that Hermione had once again never seen.

"That is your name isn't it?" Snape asked, smirking. He walked off down the corridor still floating an unconscious Grayback in front of him.

"Yes but...what happened to Miss Granger?" Hermione asked the empty corridor as Snape rounded the corner.

"Come on _Miss Granger."_ Snape's voice echoed along the corridor. Hermione ran to catch up with him. Snape held a small door open for Hermione and they emerged into Dumbledore's office. Near the fire Mr and Mrs Weasley sat closely by one another. Mr Weasley was cuddling his wife and stroking her hair. A sob escaped Mrs Weasley's throat and Hermione realised that she was crying.

Hermione ran towards them and threw her arms around the pair. Mrs Weasley broke out into a fresh wave of sobs.

"What's the matter?" Hermione took a step back from the couple to give them some room. When no one answered she asked again.

"Mr Weasley? What happened?"

But it was Mrs Weasley who answered, "It's Ron. He's dead."

**Thank you for reading, please review, I take into account each persons review and they are what keeps me writing. If you enjoy reading then I enjoy writing :D xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Wh...What...When...How?" Hermione bombarded the grieving Weasleys with a load of questions.

"Hermione." Snape warned gently. Mr Weasley and Dumbledore looked at Snape in surprise for using Hermione's first name rather than Miss Granger. Hermione didn't mind, she liked it. Her name sounded good on his lips.

"Death eaters. Bellatrix Lestrange." Mr Weasley told her and Mrs Weasley broke out into a fresh wave of tears again.

"I'm sorry." Snape said solemnly, as much as he didn't like the Weasley boy, he didn't deserve to die under Bellatrix's cruel hand because Snape knew it wouldn't have been quick and painless.

Hermione walked forward and hugged Mrs Weasley, who threw her arms around Hermione and began to sob into Hermione's hair. Hermione stroked Mrs Weasley's hair and tried to calm her down but comfort her at the same time.

"What happened to Sybil?" Snape asked Dumbledore quietly.

"She survived...just. She's still in a critical condition at St Mungos." Dumbledore said sadly, to Snape he looked older than he had ever done. Dumbledore seemed to only just realise that Snape was covered in blood and that there was an unconscious death eater in the corner of his office. " Why are you here? What happened?"

"Greyback and some others who I didn't recognise ambushed me outside the cottage. We had to get away as quick as possible." Snape said.

"Why were you outside the cottage? I told you not to leave." Dumbledore said, he seemed angry.

"I needed some air." Snape told him but Dumbledore didn't miss the quick exchange of glances between Hermione and Severus. Something had happened, they had fallen out or something and Snape had run away like he usually did.

Dumbledore nodded at Snape as he walked to one of the portraits and told the young woman to contact the ministry and the guards at Azkaban.

"Now I'm going to have to find you a new safe-house to live in for the next week." Dumbledore mumbled angrily.

"Why? Why can't we stay here?" Hermione asked, she stood up from where she had been kneeling in front of Mrs Weasley and walked over to Snape and Dumbledore.

Molly Weasley had stopped crying for a minute and looked up at Fenrir Greyback who was floating near the door. She sprang up from her seat and started shooting hexes at Greybacks immobile body. Hermione was sure Molly was about to cast the killing curse just before Mr Weasley stopped her. Dumbledore comforted Mrs Weasley and walked her out of his office, followed closely by Mr Weasley. They left Snape and Hermione alone in Dumbledore's office, apart from Greyback who was still unconscious albeit slightly bloody after Molly's hexes.

"Why can't we stay here?" Hermione asked again.

"I take it that you don't like living with me Miss Granger." Snape said coolly with a smirk on his face.

Hermione just pulled a face back.

"How mature Miss Granger." Snape smirked. "If you don't watch out the wind will change and your beautiful face will be stuck like that for ever."

"Beautiful? Huh!" Hermione laughed at how Snape was so hot and cold.

"I meant..." Snape tried to back track, but Hermione interrupted.

"It's all right, I won't tell anyone that Severus Snape, the bat of the dungeons, can be quite nice sometimes and when he's really nice he does give compliments." Hermione teased.

Snape pretended like he was ignoring her and Hermione laughed again. Just then Dumbledore walked into his office.

"Good, you two are finally getting along. Good thing too, because you will be spending the next two weeks together." Dumbledore said grinning at Hermione and Severus' annoyed faces.

"Two weeks, you mean 14 days? How am I suppose to spend 14 days stuck in another cottage with him?" Hermione shouted.

"You won't be in a cottage any longer, you'll be staying at your house Hermione." Dumbledore said.

"What?" Severus and Hermione asked at the same time.

"Why can't we just stay here?" Hermione asked.

"Because the school is under threat." Dumbledore said.

"So? If everyone is staying we do we get special treatment and it didn't work for Ron did it? He died. He's dead." Hermione shouted angrily.

"No, you will be going. Harry Potter can not lose his friends." Dumbledore shouted back.

"Ron's dead. You say Harry needs to keep his friends, how does that work if we are being kept apart?"

"You will do as I say Miss Granger." Dumbledore boomed. Severus moved closer towards Hermione, so close that they were stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Do not shout at her Albus. She has just lost one of her best friends, of course she wants to fight to protect her remaining family and friends. As do I. We will not be going." Severus shouted at the old man, it was the first time he had ever shouted at Dumbledore. Hermione looked at Severus, thankful that he was sticking up for her. Behind her back and out of Dumbledore's view, Snape grabbed Hermione's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

"You are going and that is final." Dumbledore screamed so loudly that his wrinkled face turned red and Hermione was surprised that there wasn't steam coming from his ears. Hermione spun away from Snape and stalked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Dumbledore asked.

"To find Harry." Hermione shouted as she flung open the door.

"Harry's not here. He's still with McGonagall." Dumbledore told her. Hermione turned round to face him.

"Have you even told him that Ron's dead?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowed.

Dumbledore looked sideways at Severus who looked straight back at him with defiance in his eyes.

"Well?" Hermione demanded.

"No." Dumbledore whispered.

"What?" Hermione said, craning her neck to hear him better.

"No, I don't think it will help him." Dumbledore admitted quietly.

"You are joking right? You aren't going to tell Harry that his best friend is dead. How is he going to feel when he finds out? How can I not tell him, he'll hate me for keeping from him." Hermione said.

"He'll get over it." Dumbledore said dismissively.

"He'll get over it? _He'll get over it?_ His best friend is dead. Would you _just get over it?_" Hermione nearly screamed. Snape made his way over towards were Hermione was tearing her hair out.

"We'll be leaving now." Snape said coolly. "Do you have the portkey to get to Hermione's house?"

Dumbledore searched around in his desk drawer and pulled out an ordinary muggle newspaper. Hermione stalked forward and grabbed the newspaper from Dumbledore's hands. Severus picked up his and Hermione's trunks before reaching for the other end of the newspaper.

"Deal with it." Severus told him, gesturing towards Greyback's stirring body. With a pop the couple had disappeared.

Hermione landed face first onto her pathway and Severus landed half on top of her and half on top of Hermione's mother's beloved shrubbery.

"Sorry." Severus told her as he stood up and brushed the squashed flowers off his robes.

"No problem." Hermione said quietly. After she had heard the news about Ron she had lashed out angrily but now she had no one to lash out to and so all her emotions came flooding back to her. Hermione began to cry but not just cry, sob, great shaking sobs that made her whole body jerk.

"Hermione..." Severus said soothingly as he reached down and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Hermione covered his hand with hers and looked up at Snape who was looking down at her where she was still sat where she had landed.

"Come on inside." Snape told her as he helped her up. Hermione walked to her front door, she tried the door and to her surprise it was open. She walked into the empty hallway followed closely behind by Severus who threw the trunks onto the floor by the bottom of the stairwell. He closed the door and stood with his back against the door watching Hermione survey her former home.

Hermione spun around to face Snape, tears still streaming down her face. All of a sudden Hermione strode towards Snape with raw want in her honey brown eyes. Severus caught Hermione in his arms as she launched herself at him. At first it was a few short pecks around her mouth and Severus knew it was wrong but he wanted her, he ran his hand through her hair and held her face in his hands before passionately kissing her.

**I hope you like it :D I know that I killed off Ron in my last story but I just don't like him for some reason. Please read and review xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"No." Snape breathed into Hermione's soft and sweet smelling neck. "Stop."

"Why?" Hermione whispered as she began another attack on Severus' lips.

"No." Snape said a little more forcefully this time. He grabbed Hermione's arms and held them down by her side. He pushed her away slightly so that he could talk to her coherently.

"Why?" Hermione demanded to know again. Snape watched as her eyes were once again drawn to his lips.

"It's wrong." Severus said quietly, not looking her in the eye but loosening his grip on her arms.

"No it's not." Hermione protested.

"Yes it is. I am supposed to be looking after you and this is abusing your trust in me." Severus told her.

"Not if I want it."

"Stop it." Severus almost begged. Hermione could see that he wanted her as well by the way he was trying to avoid eye contact so that he wouldn't be drawn in by her again.

"I want it. I want you." Hermione told him as she hooked her finger under his chin in an attempt to get him to look at her.

"No." Severus sounded almost angry. "You're upset and you're trying to vent your anger in this way, it's not right."

"I wan..." Hermione began but Snape clapped his hand over her mouth.

"Do _not_ say that you want me. You are grieving for your friend. I think you should go upstairs to bed." Snape removed his hand from Hermione's face, stroking her cheek slightly.

Hermione nodded slightly. She felt embarrassed over how she had thrust herself upon him.

"Sorry." Hermione whispered and reached down to pick up her trunk.

"I'll get that. You go upstairs and get to bed. Relax a bit. It's getting late." Snape told her as he picked up her trunk.

Hermione walked up the stairs and made her way into her old bedroom. She rarely used her room any longer as since she had turned eleven she only lived at home during the school holidays, and even then she detested spending time at home with her parents and instead prefered to live with the Weasleys for the majority of the time.

"How are you feeling?" Snape asked Hermione, who had drifted off into a silent daydream.

"I'm fine. I just cant believe Ron's dead." Hermione said tearing up.

"It'll be ok." Snape said patting her on the shoulder, he wasn't usually one for being compassionate or sympathetic.

"Will it?" Hermione asked despairingly.

"Come on. Into bed." Severus walked over to Hermione's double bed and pulled back the covers and made the bed look a little more inviting.

"Are you going to be joining me?" Hermione asked, looking up at him through her thick, but wet eyelashes.

"Miss Granger." Severus growled sternly, but smiled at the same time.

"Where are you sleeping?" Hermione asked as she pulled off her shoes and socks and began to rummage around in her trunk for her pyjamas, she couldn't find them. It looked like she was going to have to sleep in her underwear. She must have left her pjamas at the last cottage.

"On the couch, downstairs." Severus told her as he started to leave the room.

"Why don't you sleep in my parents room?" Hermione asked.

"I don't want to intrude. I wouldn't like it if some stranger slept in my bed. Plus I've got rather use to sleeping on couches in the last week or so." Severus smirked and left the room.

"Goodnight Hermione." Severus called as he shut the door.

"Goodnight." Hermione whispered to the empty room.

**OOOOO**

"_Severus." Hermione called, tears streaming down her pale, grubby cheeks. She spun around, looking for a way out of the dark forest that was encroaching upon her. Hermione spotted a dull glowing light through the trees and she could smell smoke coming from a chimney. Hermione began walking towards the light that, as she got closer, appeared to be a the cottage that Hermione and Snape had just escaped from after the death eaters had found them. _

"_Hermione." Severus' voice drifted through the trees. _

"_Severus." Hermione called back. "Where are you?" _

"_Hermione, I'm here." His voice echoed through the trees again._

"_Where?" I can't see you." Hermione whispered, something about the trees and the dark atmosphere made her more scared than she had ever been before. _

"_Here." Severus walked out through the front door of the cottage._

"_Where are we? What are we doing here?" Hermione asked, frightened._

"_Hermione. I've been ordered to do something." Snape told her. Suddenly his usually beautiful and dark eyes flashed an ominous red._

"_What? Who?" Severus walked towards Hermione slowly, not taking his eyes off her tearful face. "Severus, you're scaring me." _

"_My lord has commanded and I must comply." Severus told her, his voice completely emotionless. "My lord has told me to kill you." Severus whipped out his wand and before Hermione could do anything she was met with an emerald green light._

**OOOOO**

Hermione awoke with a start, she was sweating and boiling hot even though she was only wearing her underwear. She was extremely scared, her old bedroom just didn't feel comfortable or safe any more. Hermione pulled out an old dressing gown from one of her drawers and wrapped it around herself, it was a bit small but covered what it needed to. Hermione tip-toed out of her bedroom and down the stairs. She was hoping to find Severus on the couch in the living room, hopefully he would be asleep and she could just sneak in next to him.

"Hermione." Severus' voice drifted through the hallway, just like it had drifted through the trees in her dream. Hermione shivered but pushed the thought out of her head; it was only a dream.

"Yes." Hermione walked into the lounge where Severus was sat in her fathers armchair with a glass of whiskey and one of his potions journals.

"What's the matter?" Severus noticed that Hermione was still shivering slightly but it was by no means cold in the house.

"I had a bad dream, that's all." Hermione told him as she walked towards the other chair and sat on the arm, now her parents weren't here it meant she could sit on the arm of the chair without getting told off.

"What was it about?" Severus asked. If someone had told Hermione last week that Severus Snape would be asking her what she had a nightmare about then she would have laughed in their face and told them to visit St. Mungo's.

"Um...You killed me." Hermione told him.

"I what? Killed you? Why?" Severus asked, he looked slightly disgusted with himself.

"You said Lord Voldem..." Severus flinched. "Sorry, you-know who told you to."

"It was only a dream Hermione. I wouldn't kill you, I couldn't." Severus told her as he got up.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"The kitchen, do you want some of my fire whiskey?" Severus asked her as he picked up Hermione's father's favourite crystal tumbler that he had been using.

"Please." Hermione told him as she followed him. Hermione stood up and she just realised how small her old dressing gown actually was when it fell just below her panties. Severus looked her up and down and unconsciously licked his lips. Hermione smirked and walked in front of him into the kitchen. Hermione turned around to see Severus staring at her behind, where she was sure that her dressing gown wasn't completely covering her up.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer." Hermione smirked and Severus acted as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

**Sorry this chapter is a little short. I hope you liked it though. Thanks for reading xx Please review xx :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Hermione awoke with a splitting headache. She rolled out of bed with a groan and pulled on her dressing gown that she had been wearing last night; not remembering that it was too short. She couldn't remember anything after arriving at her old house, apart from the kiss with Seversus, that was unforgettable.

Hermione stumbled down the stairs and into the kitchen where Snape was sat at the table eating scrambled eggs on toast.

"Mmmm...That smells delicious." Hermione said as she fumbled around in the cupboard, looking for some Milk Thistle tablets that were a proven hangover cure.

"Yes it does doesn't it." Severus said stiffly. He picked up his half-empty plate, dropped it into the sink with a crash and stalked down the hallway and into the living room.

"Fine. Good morning to you to." Hermione muttered to herself. What was his problem? What had she done wrong? Maybe something had happened between them kissing and her waking up this morning. What had happened? Oh Merlin. What if something _had_ happened between them, but surely Severus wouldn't be angry with her. Would he?

Hermione gulped back the tablets and some water and headed into the lounge to face Severus.

"Severus. What's the matter?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing." Severus grunted. Typical man, Hermione thought. Not that she had had much experience of _real_ men. You could hardly call Ron and Harry real men. She had dated Victor Krum during the year he had spent at Hogwarts but after he had left Hermione was glad to see the back of him. He had been grumpy, foul-tempered and had never listened to what Hermione had said to him.

"No. Tell me what the matter is?" Hermione persisted gently, trying not to provoke him any further. "What did I do?"

"Why do you automatically assume, Miss Granger, that my mood today is because of you?" Severus snapped.

"I just thought..." Hermione mumbled.

"Don't think then, you don't normally." Severus shouted and stormed out of the lounge and into the garden.

Hermione was incredibly angry with him but she also felt about the size of a peanut. She had been shouted at by him before but that was before she had kissed him and dare she say it...developed feelings for him.

"No what are you thinking Hermione?" She asked herself out loud. "You don't have feelings for him, it was just a kiss, you were upset and he was taking advantage of you." Hermione decided that it was his fault that she had humiliated herself by thrusting herself upon him.

Hermione stalked up the stairs and into her bedroom, she showered, got changed and pulled out her Charms books to do some of the homework she had been set. She wrenched open her curtains only to find Snape staring up at her from her favourite bench at the bottom of the garden.

**OOOOOO**

Out in the garden Severus pulled off his thick outer robes. He sat on the bench at the bottom of the garden, looking back at the house and at Hermione's bedroom window where he could see her studying at her desk. Typical Hermione, he thought. Earlier, Hermione had opened the curtains and Snape's heart had leapt. She looked just like Lily had when he used to throw stones at her window when they were children and she would look down at him with a pretend annoyed look on her face, only Hermione wasn't pretending to be annoyed. For a split second he thought it was her but Hermione scowled at him and turned her back on him and Snape realised that Hermione wasn't Lily and would never be.

On the other hand, at least it seemed like Hermione wanted him which was more than Lily had ever. If last night was anything to go by then she liked him a lot. Perhaps he shouldn't have given her any Fire Whiskey, she had tried to kiss him once again and more. Snape and Hermione were sat in the lounge debating whether or not Harry Potter was gay (Hermione was adamant that he wasn't but Snape didn't believe her) when Hermione had suddenly stopped talking. She had tried to kiss him again, and he let her. Hermione was attractive but as much as he craved her attention he knew that he could never like Hermione as much as he had loved Lily and that wasn't fair on Hermione. Besides, it was wrong, he was her teacher. Snape knew that when Hermione had tried to remove her dressing gown in a striptease like way, not that there was much of it to remove anyway, it had gone too far. Hermione had looked delicious in just a skimpy, lacy set of matching red underwear but he had to stop her. He threw her dressing gown at her and had marched her upstairs into bed. It had been clear that she had had too much alcohol.

But when Hermione had come down stairs this morning, Severus had been expecting an apology but it seemed that Hermione had completely forgotten what had happened last night, it must have been the alcohol. But the fact that she hadn't apologised wasn't what had pissed him off, it was the fact that she didn't seem to remember what had passed between them. Perhaps he wasn't important enough to her for her to remember.

Severus was pulled out of his reverie by a searing pain in his arm. A feeling of impending doom washed over him. Severus shot up from the bench, grabbed his robe and ran towards the house. Severus just hoped he could find his Death Eater robes before the shock off pain called him again.

"Granger!" Severus shouted as he took the stairs three at a time. Hermione found Severus in her parents room where he had dumped his trunk the night before.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked, worried. She had never seen the calm and collected Severus Snape so panicked before.

"It's the Dark Lord, he's calling me." Severus hissed as another wave of pain swept over him. Oh dear, Voldemort wasn't going to be happy that he had to call Snape twice.

"The Dark Lord? Why is he calling you?" Hermione asked. Hermione was confused, she had heard rumours once or twice that Snape had been a Death Eater, but she didn't realise he was still one.

Snape looked at her in surprise, he was shocked that Hermione didn't know about his situation with Dumbledore and Voldemort.

"Don't worry, I'll explain it all when I return." Snape muttered 'if I return' under his breath and pulled down his mask. With a swish of his dark robes Snape was gone, leaving Hermione alone in her parents bedroom.

**OOOOOO**

"Ah Severus, how nice of you to join us." Lord Voldemort hissed from his place up on his throne-like chair. Severus bowed his head in greeting. It appeared as if they were in Malfoy's summer house in Belfast. Snape had only been there once before but it had been dark and now the ballroom was lit up with the day light that was spilling through the floor to ceiling windows, highlighting the beautiful features in the grand ballroom.

"Now we are all present we can proceed. This evening we are here to celebrate. As you will all have heard we killed Ronald Weasley." Voldemort sneered, the closest thing he could get to a smile. Bellatrix danced around near her equally deranged husband and giggled menacingly.

"As a reward to you all I have brought you a little present." Voldemort hissed and signalled with his left hand for the double doors to the ballroom to open. Two young Death Eaters dragged a screaming woman into the room.

Behind Severus' mask he growled, even though he was used to seeing women being abused as a 'reward' to the Death Eaters, he still couldn't stop himself from boiling over with anger.

"Enjoy her my brothers and sisters." Voldemort told them as he stood up and almost floated towards Severus. "Severus, if you wouldn't mind joining me in Malfoy's study."

Severus nodded and followed Voldemort, Petigrew and Malfoy into the large study.

"My Lord?" Severus asked, bowing low.

"Have you any more information for me? Did you find out where the Granger girl is being kept now?" Voldemort asked.

It had been Snape who had informed Voldemort of Ron's whereabouts. Snape didn't feel responsible for his death, Severus blamed Dumbledore as it had been him who had told Snape to tell Voldemort where he could find Ron to kill him. But now, when Voldemort was asking for Hermione's whereabouts, he couldn't tell him, even if Dumbledore had said he could.

"I don't know my Lord." Severus lied, hoping that Voldemort wouldn't use legilimency on him. Severus controlled himself and tried to strengthen his occlumency shields.

"Don't lie to me." Voldemort hissed. "We know that you were with Granger before in the Scottish borders and if it wasn't for you we could have destroyed the brat as well. If Potter has no friends left he won't want to fight for Dumbledore. He will realise that Dumbledore is using him because he's too weak to fight me himself. Now tell me where the Granger girl is."

"Dumbledore hasn't informed me." Snape lied again. Voldemort started to laugh menacingly.

"You may be good at occlumency Severus, but you are not good enough." Voldemort said and immediately Severus felt a blinding pain at the front of his head.

Memories from the night before came flooding back, the kiss, the flirting and Hermione's almost-striptease. But not only could Voldemort see Severus memories he could also see how Severus felt about Hermione.

"I suppose she is quite pretty for a mudblood." Voldemort sneered as he released Severus' mind from his grip. "You silly, silly man. You shouldn't keep information from me. You know that I will always find out."

Severus was breathing deeply, the legilimency a drain on his energy. Voldemort turned to Lucius Malfoy, who was sneering at Severus.

"Lucius will you please deal with the Granger problem. Severus has, unwillingly, informed us that she is at her parents house." Voldemort hissed.

"Of course My Lord." Lucius sneered. "My pleasure."

**Please read and review, I need your reviews they keep me going. Plus the first person who reviews and gives my their name I will name a character after them :D xxx **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Throw him in the dungeons." Voldmort said to Peter Pettigrew after Malfoy had disappeared. Pettigrew dragged Severus out of the room.

"Severus...Severus." Pettigrew tutted, keeping a firm grip on Snape person. Severus tried to struggle out of Pettigrew reach but surprisingly Peter was quite strong.

"Don't you dare judge me. You are the disgusting one. You who betrayed Lily and James to _him._" Severus hissed still weak from when Voldemort had penetrated his mind. Severus reached for his wand that he had hidden up his sleeve but the tiny rat-like man was too fast for the still slow Severus and Pettigrew grabbed Severus' wand before he could.

"Vile rat." Severus spat at him and Pettigrew smacked him across the face. Blood oozed out of the gash Pettigrew had caused with his disgustingly long nails. Pettigrew yanked Severus by the arm down the spiral staircase and threw him into the grotty but spacious cell at the bottom of the stairs.

"Have fun." Pettigrew snorted sarcastically through the thick bars, he locked the door and scuttled back up the spiral staircase and killed the light. Severus was plunged into darkness. He felt around in the dark for the wall and slid down against it.

"Severus?" Snape shot back up and balled his hands into fists, if he didn't have his wand he would have to improvise. He still felt very weak and quite dizzy from standing up so fast.

"Who's there?" Snape shouted.

"It's me, Namitha." A quiet voice came from the corner of the cell.

"Namitha?" Severus asked. "Namitha Ninguna?"

Namitha Ninguna had been one of Severus' best friends whilst he had been at Hogwarts and he had turned to his fellow Slytherin whenever he had had trouble with James Potter or was feeling especially low after an encounter with Lily Evans.

"Yes, do you remember me? We use to go to Hogwarts together." Namitha walked towards Severus. In the dark Severus could see her long dark hair, the same as it had been when she was younger and her usual petite figure, but one new addition to Namitha's appearance was a grisly scar that stretched from the top of her left eyebrow and down to the top of her lip.

"Namitha." Severus breathed, relieved to see a familiar face, even if it had changed in the past thirty years that he hadn't seen her. "What are you doing in here?"

"I was told to warn you about their plan, but i got...sidetracked." Namitha told him.

"Warn me?" Severus asked, as far as he had been aware Namitha had been living in Spain after her husband had been hunted and killed by the Death Eaters for openly opposing them at the Ministry of Magic, he didn't know that she knew anything about Severus' life now.

"Yes, three moths ago I ran into none other than Albus Dumbledore in Javea near where I lived in Spain. He told me that you where working for Dumbledore on the inside of Voldemort's tight knit elite members. Dumbledore explained to me how you got there, however Voldemort has uncovered the truth about your true loyalties and..."

"My true loyalties?" Severus muttered, no wonder he hadn't been summoned in a long time, Voldemort must have been trying to keep any important information from him. However the last time Severus had been summoned it had led to the death of Ron Weasley after the information that Severus had divulged.

"Anyway," Namitha continued with a harumph, Snape smirked, she hadn't changed on iota in the past thirty years. "Dumbledore told me to...'enrol' shall we say, in the Death Eaters so that I would be a backup spy if anything untoward happened to you." Namitha finished and glanced sideways at Severus.

"So Dumbledore is using you too?" Severus asked, not really expecting an answer.

"No. I'm volunteering my efforts to the war, I've tried to forgive the bastards that killed my husband but can't and now I realise that I've got to help destroy them, just like they have destroyed me." Severus nodded. He didn't think that Namitha knew Dumbledore all that well but he knew that if she spent more time with him then she would realise how manipulative he really was. Severus decided not to press her any more, she seemed quite upset.

"So why are you in Malfoy's cell?" Severus asked.

"I tried to attack Bellatrix, it was her that killed my husband and she gave me this." Namitha told him as she pointed to her scar.

"So they don't know that you're a spy?" Severus asked.

"No. I've got to stay in here another day or two, I've lost count. I've been in here quite a lot, I suppose it's better than being _crucioed. _I was trying to leave a meeting the other week to find you but i got caught attacking Voldemort's favourite bitch." Namitha said as she walked back into the darkness.

"Where are you going?" Severus hissed when he couldn't see Namitha any longer.

"I told you, I get put in here a lot for doing one thing or another so a few weeks ago I hid a supply of food and wands in here." Namitha's voice came through the dark.

"Oh, Namitha I could kiss you right now." Severus exclaimed, a little out of character.

"Severus, you seem rather happy, is there a woman in your life?" Namitha asked cheekily.

"Namitha, it was you, only you. I could never love someone as much as I loved you." Severus said sarcastically, trying to move the conversation away from Hermione.

"Touchy, touchy Severus Snape. What's her name?" Namitha teased.

"Moving on." Severus said briskly. "Where's this wand?"

Namitha handed Severus a small, flexible oak wand. It didn't fit in Snape's hand the same way that his own wand did but it would have to do.

"Come on. Pettigrew is coming. Let's strike while the irons hot." Namitha whispered almost manically.

**OOOOOO**

"Severus?" Hermione awoke with a start. She heard a bang downstairs and hoped that it was Severus arriving home safe and well. Hermione jumped up from her parents bed where she had fallen asleep after Snape had left for the Death Eater meeting. She pulled her cardigan around her and made her way towards the stairs. When she heard another bang she grabbed her wand just in case and shoved it in her sock.

"Severus?" Hermione called again as she walked into the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione cooed over a small white kitten that was tumbling around in the corner of the counter where the pots and pans were kept. Hermione scolded herself for leaving the window open as it appeared as if that was how the cat had got in. The kitten meowed and scrambled around when Hermione picked it up so she put it back on the floor again. It began to sniff around the bottom of the cupboard.

"Here would you like something to eat?" Hermione asked the cat as she turned her back on it to look for a tin of tuna.

"Yes I would Miss Granger." A cool voice that sent shivers down her spine replied to her question.

"Malfoy." Hermione spat as she spun around and came face to face with the platinum blonde man.

"Hermione." Malfoy held out his hand as if expecting Hermione to kiss it. Who did he think he was?

Hermione smiled sweetly and took his and and moved her mouth towards his hand and spat on it.

Malfoy cracked Hermione across the head with his cane, sending Hermione reeling across the kitchen.

"Why are you here?" Hermione spat as she tried to staunch the blood coming from her ear.

"To kill you." Malfoy laughed.

**Please read and review. Sorry Namitha if you don't like your character but I don't know you and your character had already been decided xx :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Hahahahaha..." Hermione started laughing. Trying to distract Malfoy more than anything.

"Miss Granger, I hardly think that your impending death is hardly something to laugh about." Malfoy told her, he was a little confused and slightly worried that she was somehow signalling other Order members. Malfoy raised his wand again.

"Hahahaha...Your..ha...animagus...hahahaha...is a kitten?" Hermione asked incredulously whilst nearly crying in laughter. Hermione wasn't stupid, although it may have seemed to Malfoy that she had lost her marbles, she was reaching for a glass bowl that was holding various pieces of parchment and whilst Malfoy was worriedly looking around the room, she flung the bowl, frisby-style, at his head. Hermione watched as it shattered into a thousand pieces on his forehead and he collapsed on the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Hermione wasted no time in dashing upstairs to grab her wand and her beaded bag full of her essentials. By the time Hermione had come back down the stairs Malfoy was beginning to come to.

Hermione aimed her wand at the man's head.

"_Avada Kedavra_." Hermione whispered. Malfoy's eyes widened in shock but before he had any time to do anything he was enveloped in a green light and he fell backwards, his eyes rolling in his head.

Hermione's knees gave way. Had she really needed to kill him? A tidal wave of guilt overwhelmed her. Why had she killed him? It had all happened so fast and she didn't really know what she had been doing. What about Draco? What about Narcissa? Would he have really killed her? Probably not, they needed her.

Hermione began to sob as she realised the extent of what she had just done. She had just killed someone. And even though it had been the most evil and foul person she had ever had the misfortune to meet, he was still a human being and by her killing him it made her no better than him.

**OOOOOO**

"Namitha. On the count of three." Snape hissed. They were hidden by the entrance to the cell, listening for Pettigrew to scuttle down the stairs.

"One." Pettigrew switched the light on at the top of the stairs.

"Two." Pettigrew took a step down the stairs and it creaked under his weight.

"Three." Pettigrew swung open the door.

Namitha jumped on him, he fell to the floor and she retrieved his wand. Before Pettigrew had a chance to call out, Severus _silencioed _him. Namitha used her wand and cause _petrificus totalus._

"Not so nice is it?" Snape hissed as he kicked him in the ribs and then once again.

"Severus." Namitha whispered calmly.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me." Severus said, ashamed of his outburst.

"No it's fine. I just think that we need to get out of here." Namitha told him sternly as she searched Pettigrew's pockets pulling out Snape's wand and throwing it to him.

Severus and Namitha made their way up the stairs, locking the door to the cell behind them.

"Where are we going?" Namitha asked.

"_We_ are not going anywhere, I'm going to save Hermione." Severus snapped. He didn't want to imagine what Malfoy was doing to her now.

"So there is a woman." Namitha raised her eyebrows at him. "If I didn't know you, I'd say you were going soft."

Severus sneered.

"Ok, ok." Namitha raised her hands in mock surrender.

"I can't apparate from inside Malfoy's house, only he can do that but as long as I can slip outside without being noticed then I can apparate from there." Snape whispered. They were crouched by the door into the Great Hall.

"I'll create a diversion for you. Cast a disillusionment spell over yourself and run as fast as you can." Namitha told him.

"Okay, but don't do anything to get yourself killed." Snape told her, he hoped to meet her again in the future.

"Let's go." Namitha said as she jumped up and flung open the door, screaming like a banshee.

Severus cast a disillusionment charm over himself sprinted through the hall with his back pressed against the wall. He watched Namitha as she sent of stinging hexes in every direction. One hit Bellatrix Lestrange square in the face causing an angry red gash to spring up.

"Stupid woman. I'll teach you to attack my beautiful face." Bellatrix screamed. "_Avada Kedavra." _

Snape winced as Namitha tumbled to the floor, her glossy hair spilling out around her head like a black halo.

Severus realised what he was supposed to be doing and once again set off through the house for the back door. He pulled open the door and ran out into the garden as his disillusionment charm wore off. From inside the house Snape could hear the panic as the Death Eaters realised that he had escaped. At the same time as Nott and Goyle tumbled out the back door looking for him he disappeared with a pop.

"Hermione." Severus called as he rushed through the front door. He could tell something was wrong, the house was freezing cold and an eerie green aura was in the air. The aura of death.

"Hermione." Snape called again, a little more frantically this time. He can't have let her been killed. It was his fault that the Weasley boy had died but he couldn't be responsible for two untimely deaths. Especially not Hermione's.

"Professor." Hermione looked up from where she was led on the floor in the kitchen.

"Hermione." Severus said as he rushed towards her. He sat Hermione up with her back against the wall.

"Where have you been?" Hermione whispered.

"What happened?" Severus ignored her question. He used his wand to clean the blood from the side of her face. He wiped the tears from her face and Hermione closed her eyes.

"M...malfoy." Hermione stammered and started to cry again.

"Shhh...shh...what did he do to you? Where is he?" Severus asked. Hermione just pointed towards the opposite corner of the room, to where Hermione had levitated Malfoy's body.

Severus stood up slowly and walked towards him. How hadn't he noticed it when he walked into the room? Severus felt Malfoy wrist and pulled away when he couldn't feel a pulse.

"He's dead." Severus muttered. That explained the green aura floating about the place. "But how?"

"I...I killed...him." Hermione sobbed.

"How?" Severus asked dumbly.

"With the...killing curse."

"I know but...how did you do it? You shouldn't have enough hate in your soul to be able to kill anybody." Severus hissed, he was angry that he hadn't been their to stop her from killing Malfoy. He knew what killing people had done to him, and he was strong. He never knew how Hermione was going to cope with all that weight on her shoulders.

"I hate him. Hated." Hermione sobbed again.

"Ok. Shhh..." Severus was still shocked that she had been able to cast the killing curse.

"What do we do now?" Hermione asked. Severus could no longer recognise the intelligent know-it-all that she usually was, he had never seen her look so confused and bewildered, so lost with out knowing what to do.

"We have to go back to Hogwarts." Severus told her.

And so for the second time within 48 hours Severus and Hermione apparated to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a body in tow.

**Just watching the Graham Norton show where Daniel Radcliffe is on! I love him! The last time he was on the Graham Norton show he recited the WHOLE of the periodic table of elements! Not just a pretty face. Hope you like the new chapter. Please read and review xx :D**


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